The Ponds
Household incomes in The Ponds sit at the 98.6th percentile, which makes price capacity the suburb's defining feature. The suburb combines 16,315 residents, 53.8% born overseas and 62.1% university attainment, 32.0 percentage points above the national rate. Compared with nearby Schofields and Stanhope Gardens, The Ponds reads as a premium detached-family market: 83.9% of dwellings are separate houses and the median age of 35 is 5 years below the national median. High incomes support the $1,580,000 house price, but the suburb is still strongly mortgage-led rather than cash-rich.
Population
16,315
Median Age
35.0
Household IncomeiMedian weekly household income (ABS Census)
$3,285/wk
DAs (12 months)iDevelopment Applications lodged in the past year
65
Median House
$1.6M
2024-2025 (PSI derived)
Buyers are mainly paying for large family housing, not apartment convenience. The median house price is $1,580,000, while the latest 2025 price point is $1,587,500, up 1.6% from 2024 and at the recorded peak. Stock is strongly detached, with 83.9% separate houses and 83.5% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms. Compared with denser precincts near Schofields, the trade-off is a higher entry price but more space. Mortgage costs take 21.1% of household income, below common stress settings because household income is $3,285 a week.
For Buyers
Buyers are mainly paying for large family housing, not apartment convenience. The median house price is $1,580,000, while the latest 2025 price point is $1,587,500, up 1.6% from 2024 and at the recorded peak. Stock is strongly detached, with 83.9% separate houses and 83.5% of homes having 4 or more bedrooms. Compared with denser precincts near Schofields, the trade-off is a higher entry price but more space. Mortgage costs take 21.1% of household income, below common stress settings because household income is $3,285 a week.
For Investors
The Ponds is more owner-occupier than renter-led, so investors are buying into depth of family demand rather than a high-churn rental market. Renters make up 22.8% of households, lower than the 64.7% mortgage share, while median rent is $643 a week and vacancy is 3.4%. Supply is active, with 60 development records in 12 months, which can temper rent pressure. Demand support comes from overseas migration averaging +304 people a year, compared with internal migration at -266, plus rent growth of 16.5% in the forecast shift period.
Development Activity
Total DAs
353
Last 12 Months
65
YoY ChangeiYear-over-year change in DA lodgements
-19.8%
Avg DA CostiAverage estimated cost per DA in the past year
N/A
Monthly DA Lodgements
DA Categories
Schools in The Ponds iICSEA: school advantage index. 1000 = national avg, higher = more advantaged
Riverbank Public School
K-6 · 2030 students
John Palmer Public School
K-6 · 950 students
The Ponds High School
7-12 · 2321 students
Demographics
The Ponds is younger, larger-household and more highly educated than the national baseline. Median age is 35, which is 5 years below national, while average household size is 3.5, 1.0 higher than national. Overseas-born residents make up 53.8%, 32.2 percentage points above national, and university attainment is 62.1%, 32.0 points above national. Indian ancestry is a major marker at 4,626 people, alongside English at 2,115 and Chinese at 1,141. Hindi, Punjabi and Gujarati language counts reflect this migrant-majority profile.
Age Distribution
Bedrooms
Dwelling Structure
83.9%
Houses
15.7%
Townhouse
N/A
Apartment
Tenure
Housing is concentrated in large detached dwellings and mortgage ownership. Separate houses account for 83.9% of stock, semi-detached homes 15.7%, and 4 or more bedroom homes 83.5%, which is higher than the 11.6% share of 3-bedroom homes. The price series is short but firm: $1,562,500 in 2024 rose to $1,587,500 in 2025, a 1.6% gain, with the latest price also the peak and 0.0% below peak. Tenure confirms the mortgage belt character, with 64.7% mortgaged, 12.5% owned outright and 22.8% renting.
Median House Price Trend
Source: State Valuer-General
Mortgage / mo
$3,000
Rent / wk
$643
HH Size
3.5
Personal Income / wk
$1,207
Vacancy Ratei% of dwellings unoccupied on Census night (ABS 2021)
3.4%
Unoccupied
157
Rent / IncomeiMedian rent as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
19.6%
Mortgage / IncomeiMedian mortgage as % of household income. Over 30% = housing stress
21.1%
Community Profile
Languages Spoken at Home
Ancestry
Household Composition
11.0%
Couples, no children
15,226
Total families
Economy & Employment
The local workforce skews professional and high income. Professional and tech work leads at 14.6% or 913 workers, followed by healthcare at 14.1%, finance at 13.1%, education at 9.0% and public admin at 7.5%. Occupations reinforce that pattern, with 2,808 professionals and 1,379 managers. Full-time employment is 75.5% among employed residents, unemployment is 4.6%, and participation is 64.6%. SEIFA rankings sit in the top decile for IRSAD, IRSD and IER at 10, while IEO is slightly lower at decile 9 because education and occupation status are high but resource measures are even stronger.
Unemployment
1.4%
Labour Force
14,009
Unemployed
195
Quarterly Trend
Source: SALM Dec-25
Socio-Economic Indexes (SEIFA)iABS index ranking suburbs from 1 (most disadvantaged) to 10 (most advantaged)
Full-time
75.5%
Part-time
19.9%
Participation
64.6%
Employed
7,093
Occupations
Top Industries
University
62.1%
Postgraduate
22.5%
Born Overseas
53.8%
Dwellings
4,504
Transport to Work
Livability is anchored by schools and family services. Three local government schools span ICSEA 1118 to 1141, led by Riverbank Public School at 1141 with 2,030 enrolments, John Palmer Public School at 1125 with 950 enrolments, and The Ponds High School at 1118 with 2,321 enrolments. Transport is car-heavy: 86.1% drive compared with 7.1% using public transport and 1.1% walking or cycling. That pattern suits households with cars but is less convenient for car-free living. IRSAD decile 10 supports amenity demand because local households have high resources.
Drive
86.1%
Public Transport
7.1%
Walk / Cycle
1.1%
Work from Home
N/A
Population Forecast
+3.33%/yr
(+725 people/yr)
High GrowthThe forecast is high growth, but not classic gentrification. Trend growth is 3.33% a year, equal to about 725 additional residents annually, and the medium path rises from 24,382 in 2026 to 28,009 in 2031. Overseas migration is above internal migration as the primary driver, with +304 net overseas residents a year compared with -266 net internal movement. The shift profile is aging: senior share rose 5.2 points while young share fell 2.8 points. Gentrification is scored 10 and labelled Not gentrifying, because change is mainly population growth and family maturation rather than income displacement.
Historical + Forecast
Hamilton-Perry + Holt smoothing on ERP 2001-2025
Age Cohort Forecast
Primary Driver
Overseas Migration
Net Overseas / yr
+304
Net Internal / yr
-266
Gentrification Signal
Not gentrifying
Net internal outflow -266/yr, Strong overseas inflow +304/yr
National Ranking iPercentile rank among ~15,000 AU suburbs. 90% = higher than 90% of suburbs
How The Ponds compares to ~15,000 Australian suburbs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Ponds a good suburb to live in?
Yes, especially for family households seeking large homes and strong schools. The suburb has 3 local government schools, 83.9% separate houses and household income at the 98.6th percentile, although 86.1% car commuting means daily life is car-reliant.
What is the median house price in The Ponds?
The median house price is $1,580,000. The latest price point is $1,587,500 in 2025, up 1.6% from $1,562,500 in 2024, and it is 0.0% below the recorded peak.
What schools are in The Ponds?
The suburb has 3 local schools: Riverbank Public School with ICSEA 1141 and 2,030 enrolments, John Palmer Public School with ICSEA 1125 and 950 enrolments, and The Ponds High School with ICSEA 1118 and 2,321 enrolments.
Is The Ponds safe?
A current crime rate per 1,000 residents is not available, so safety should be checked against NSW crime maps before deciding. Family indicators are strong, including 3 schools and 83.5% of homes with 4 or more bedrooms.
Is The Ponds good for property investment?
It can suit investors seeking family tenants rather than high turnover. Renters are 22.8% of households, median rent is $643 a week, vacancy is 3.4%, and 60 development records in 12 months point to active local supply.
How is The Ponds's population changing?
The forecast trend adds 725 people a year at 3.33% annual growth. The medium path reaches 28,009 residents by 2031, supported by +304 net overseas migration a year despite -266 net internal migration.
What languages are spoken in The Ponds?
The largest non-English language counts include Hindi at 686, Punjabi at 583, Gujarati at 346, Urdu at 263 and Mandarin at 249. Overseas-born residents are 53.8%, which is 32.2 percentage points above national.
Is there much development in The Ponds?
Yes. There were 60 development records in the past 12 months, including new dwelling houses and swimming pool work. That level of activity is consistent with a high-growth suburb adding about 725 residents a year.
How to read these comparisons
Phrases like "above the national average" reference the unweighted median across Australian suburbs with more than 1,000 residents, not population-weighted national figures. Suburb-level medians are more useful for ranking suburbs against each other; ABS census headlines are population-weighted (so dominated by Sydney and Melbourne) and can read very differently.
Current baseline (refreshed 2026-05-10): median age 40, university-educated 30.1%, born overseas 21.6%, average household size 2.5 people.
Data sources: ABS 2021 Census (demographics, income, tenure), state Valuer-General (house prices), Department of Jobs SALM (unemployment), ACARA (school ICSEA), state Crime Statistics agencies (offences), council DA portals (development applications). Population forecasts use a Hamilton-Perry cohort model calibrated to ABS ERP.
Explore The Ponds on the Map
View parcels, zoning overlays, DA applications, schools and more.
Open Interactive Map